Social Program

We have been able to organize an excitingly diverse programme of different activities and excursions before, during, and after the ICP12 conference in Utrecht. For some of these a minimum amount of participants is required, whereas for several, a limited participation is possible. It is therefore strongly advised to book you participation as soon as possible (first come first go !). Some of these activities/excursions are unique and only organized in relation to this conference.

SE-Netherlands: Paleoclimate variability. This two-day Excursion starts on Saturday 3 September 08:00 and ends on Sunday 4-September; expected return to Utrecht ~17:00) (The programme includes e.g. type-locality of the Maastrichtian stage, Cretaceous climate cycles at ENCI quarry; shallow-water K/T boundary inside a man-made cave; visit to recent vineyard Apostelhoeve on ancient Roman vineyard-site (K/T-cave visit and Apostelhoeve will be done with alternating half-group size); dinner inside a cave, and staying in nextdoor hotel. Next day: visit to museum with most recovered fossils from the area including those from the ENCI quarry; a guided town tour in Maastricht, and a visit to the nearby unique Neolithic flint mine).

During the Pleistocene, the Scandinavian ice sheet partly covered the northern part of Europe and reached The Netherlands two times. Its largest extension was during the Saale glaciation (~140.000 years ago) when the ice reached as far as the, so-called Haarlem-Nijmegen line. Much of the Dutch landscape was formed in that period: ice pushed ridged like the hills of Utrecht, glacial tongues that shaped the IJssel valley and the huge till plateau of Drenthe. During that period, the ice has left vast amounts of stones. During the successive Weichsel glaciation, the ice didn’t reach The Netherlands, but the climate became very cold and dry again, causing the development of widespread tundra. Erosion on the often barren surface was easy and eolian deposits were formed. Then during the Holocene when the climate warmed and sea-level rose, peat started to grow on the sandy surfaces. As the sea invaded the land, lagoons were formed. Since then, man has always struggled with the invading sea. During this two days excursion you will get a clear picture of the glacial history of the Netherlands and how people adjusted to the changing landscape.

Of course the Netherlands is known for its cheese production, but wines..?

The Wine & Cheese tasting event will take place in a historical setting, namely in the Auditorium and the adjacent ancient monastery herbal garden, the ‘Pandhof’ (courtyard). This garden is situated between the St. Martin’s Cathedral and the University Hall in the Medieval centre of Utrecht. The Pandhof is an idyllic monastery garden, where ornamental plants and herbs bloom. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful enclosed gardens in the Netherlands. For more information see webpage

Online registration closed

From now on you can only register on site at the registration desk this Sunday during the Icebreaker party at the University Hall and from Monday 08:00 at the Conference venue.